Just Between Us Dragons
by Michael P Hopcroft
Summary: Slayers Inheritance side story. Anya and Valgaav are asked -- or, rather, commanded -- to dispose of a dragon by a Kign with an ulterior notive -- and a two-way mirror?


JUST BETWEEN US DRAGONS  
A Slayers Inheritance Side Story  
by Michael Hopcroft

I don't own the Slayers. I couldn't afford their inn keeping bills.

_Hello again! It's me, Anya Inverse! You know, Lina's and Gourry's daughter, recent reluctant savior of the world, all that sort of thing. Anyway, now I'm on my way home to the Mace and Teapot, an inn on the border between the Inner and Outer Worlds, where my mother is waiting to give birth to twins. I don't think she'swaiting for me. I'm accompanied by Valgaav, a really gorgeous Ancient Dragon whose foster-mother runs the inn. Did I mention that Valgaav seems to have a thing for me? Well anyway, we were minding our own business walking down the road when..._

"Halt!" A group of five armored men armed with spears intercepted Anya and Valgaav in the middle of the road.

"State your business!" ordered their leader.

Anya shrugged her shoulders. "What's the deal? We're just passing through from Seyruun to the Borderlands. I have a safe-conduct order signed by the Queen of Seyruun if you want to see it."

"I most certainly do!" The man, who had stripes painted on the sleeves of his armor, examined the document. "So you're Anya Inverse? And Valgaav?"

"Yes. And we're in a bit of a hurry, so if you'll just let us pass unhindered through your kingdom..."

The sergeant tore up the safe-conduct pass.

"Hey!" cried Anya. "That's property of the Court of Seyruun! You at war with that kingdom or something?"

Valgaav shook his head. "Amelia or Felianis would have told us if Seyruun was at war. Something else is going on here."

"We don't allow unlicensed adventurers in Havetica. You'll have to come with us to the palace."

Anya fumed. "We're not here to adventure! We're on our way home! This is so totally unfair!"

"We'd better do as they say," Valgaav advised. "We can probably take this group, but can we take their entire army? Besides, if all we need is a license"

"You're being awfully naive," Anya replied. "They probably don't issue licenses to foreigners or dragons."

"Dragon? What dragon?" the sergeant asked. "I'll have you taken to the king straight away."

Havetica was a small kingdom with only one city. In its center stood a palace that was astounding in its magnificence.

"Too astounding," Anya said when she laid eyes on it. "It's ostentatious for a kingdom so small it isn't even on the map to have such a huge royal palace. How did you finance this? Are you in the habit of fining mages who fly through your kingdom too fast?"

"Show some respect for our king," the sergeant said. He led them through the huge palace, down the,extremely long corridors, straight to the throne room. A thin, pale young man with a short red goatee sat on the throne and looked them over.

"More adventurers, I see," he stated.

"Really special ones this time, Sire. We've nabbed Anya Inverse."

"Lina Inverse's daughter?" The man stroked his goatee. "How interesting. But shouldn't she be kneeling before the throne?"

Wishing to get through this unpleasant interview and kingdom as fast as she could, Anya swallowed her anger with difficulty and knelt, as did Valgaav. "I'm not used to this," Anya replied. "I usually get much better treatment when I visit a royal court."

"You are an adventuring sorceress, capable of wreaking great havoc. The peace of this kingdom depends on controlling the actions of people of power. If you serve me well, you will be rewarded moderately well. If you do not, we have a mage-proof dungeon that will keep you in check. In fact, this whole palace is magic-proof, protected by the finest and most expensive enchantments ever woven."

Anya smirked. "Threats don't impress me. All I want is to leave your kingdom in peace. Don't force me to leave it in pieces."

The king laughed bitterly. "Threats don't impress me either, Anya Inverse. As long as I'm in the palace, I'm perfectly safe. However, I do have a problem for which I need adventurers. Solve it for me and I'll let you leave Havetica."

Valgaav reached over and, taking Anya's hand, squeezed it gently. "Calm down, Anya," he said. "I'm sure we'll get out of this all right as long as everyone keeps their cool."

"Val-chan," Anya replied, "I know. The Inverse temper is getting the better of me. What is your problem, Your Majesty? And it ought to pay or I won't help."

"There's a dragon threatening the kingdom, a truly vicious beast. I'm completely safe in this palace, but my people are threatened. I need the dragon slain."#

Now it was Valgaav's turn to be upset. "How can you ask us that? I'm a dragon myself, you know!"

"Are you?" questioned the king. "Funny. You look like a man to me."

"Val," Anya reminded him soothingly, "There are three kinds of dragons in this world: beings of grace and intelligence, strong stupid brutes and _you_. I suspect the dragon he's talking about is variety #2."

"The palace wouldn't protect you from him," Valgaav warned. "You may be protected against magic, but if the dragon physically attacked the palace..."

"Dear me, this is worse than I thought, if that is the case. You'll set out in the morning. Rest here tonight. I'll prepare a room for you. I expect you back from its lair by nightfall tomorrow with its head."

"Here is your room," the sergeant said, opening a door for Anya.

"And what about my room?" asked Valgaav.

"This room should be adequate for both of you. Have a pleasant night, and enjoy yourselves." The sergeant literally pushed them into the room and closed the door behind them.

"ENJOY OURSELVES?" Anya cried. "What the hell did he mean by that?"

Valgaav allowed himself to smirk ever so slightly. "They must think we're a functioning couple. Your calling me 'Val-chan' must have done it."

Anya blushed. "Look, Val-chan, you're a very nice guy and I like you a lot, but..."

"You're not ready for physical intimacy. I know. Neither am I, actually. Do you sense anything about the room?"

"I can't. It's like my magic senses have been shut off. I'm sure there's something in the palace that's blocking our magic."

"Then what's that mirror?" Valgaav pointed to a dresser where an exceptionally large mirror faced their bed.

"Don't tell me the King's a voyeur!" Anya exclaimed. "That's the last straw. I am NOT going to strip for his amusement!"

"I think he wants us to do more than strip, but I share your disgust at the idea. Tell you what. If you're comfortable with the idea of sleeping in your clothes tonight, you can have the bed. I'll take the floor. Just toss me a pillow and a blanket."

"My parents were in a situation like this once, before they were married. My mother would not take the bed while someone else was sleeping on the floor. I think I feel the same way. We'll each take a pillow. Valgaav, you can have the blanket, because you need the warmth. We'll sleep on opposite sides of the bed, and the king can just get by without his show."

"Sounds fair enough, Good night, Anya. Oh, and if you ever do become ready, let me know."

Anya hit him with the pillow.

The next morning they were led out of the palace. If the king was disappointed, he didn't say anything.

"The vicious beast lives atop that mountain," the sergeant, who was escorting them, pointed out. "We expect results."

Anya glared at him. "What happens if we don't bring back its head?"

"Then don't bother coming down alive." The sergeant and his men turned away and left, leaving Anya and Valgaav to face the mountain.

"They expect us to climb this thing," Anya complained, "but it's too steep to climb."

"Which makes it a perfect lair for a dragon," Valgaav observed. "It provides a good view of the surrounding countryside, and it's hard for people to access in case the dragon wants to be left alone. It's really good dragon territory."

"I bet there isn't even a dragon up there at all."

Valgaav smirked. "We should be so lucky. There's only one way up. I'll transform, and then you can fly up while on my back."

Anya was beginning to pout. "Do I really have to go up at all? You can handle this, can't you?"

"I don't carry a sword. Hard to behead a dragon without one. You'll just have to ride up."

"But it's two thousand feet straight up! I'll fall off!"

"Not if I remain in a horizontal position throughout the climb. It'll be slower, but it works. I've done it dozens of times; admittedly not with girls on my back, but it's something I practiced extensively."

Anya harrumphed and then looked up. It did look like a long way up. "OK, go ahead. But you'll have to find some way to signal me if something's wrong."

"Don't worry. You'll know!" With that, a wind gathered around Valgaav as he changed, and a few moments later a forty-foot-long white dragon with a long neck stood where Valgaav had been standing. Anya climbed onto hisback and settled herself comfortably.

"Ok, take us up, Val."

Valgaav, the dragon, flapped his wings and began to rise. Surprisingly, Anya felt strangely comfortable riding him as he flew up. She had found that his skin was soft enough that she could maintain a firm hold with her hand on it without seeming to cause him any discomfort as he rose.

Higher and higher they climbed. Anya watched for any sign of an opening in the mountain. Of course, she knew Valgaav was taking an even better look, and in this form had much better eyesight than she did. Anya mentally went through the ritual for Levitation, though, in case something went wrong. At last she saw the opening she was looking for, but it was only about ten feet wide. In addition, the ledge in front of the cave was only a few feet forward. Valgaav couldn't land there! But as she looked up, she could see there was no other opening.

"That lying king! This dragon has to be an intelligent shape shifter! What's that monarch up to?"

Valgaav turned his head to face her, nodded, and hovered about forty feet over the entrance, trying to keep himself stable enough that Anya could stand. Anya immediately cast Ray Wing and flew through the opening. She turned around once she got there and saw Valgaav still hovering above the entrance. The winds came up again, and a human Valgaav touched down on the landing.

"That was a piece of cake," he said. "Let's check on this dragon!"

After walking for a short distance, Anya saw that some gold coins were scattered on the floor of the cavern.

"Lucky! There's treasure in this case if nothing else!"

"I wouldn't touch it," Valgaav warned. "This isn't a bandit lair, Anya. We can't take any of this gold, at least not until we figure out how the dragon got it"

Anya started to pout but then brightened up. "You know, this is starting to make sense. If the king wants this money, he'll have to slay the dragon. And he would need to find adventurers who wouldn't keep it for themselves to extort.

"There may be even more to it than that," Valgaav mused. "Think for a moment. Remember how expensive that palace was? I can't imagine a kingdom this small building a palace that big without going heavily into debt."

"Which is why he needs this money."

A voice boomed from down the corridor. "You've almost got it right, but not quite."

Anya drew her sword. "Who's there?"

"Isn't it obvious?" A man with white hair and dressed in fine robes suddenly appeared in front of them. "May I ask what you are doing in my home?"

Anya stared at him. "You're the dragon?"

"Vermithrax Callorian at your service. So the king was finally able to trick some adventurers into coming up here? I feel sorry for you."

Anya sheathed her sword. "Vermithrax, eh? My name's Anya Inverse, and this is Valgaav. I don't intend to fight you."

Valgaav spoke a few words in a tongue that Anya didn't recognize. Vermithrax responded with some words of his own, then turned to Anya. "Valgaav was asking me if I knew the folk at Dragon Peak. I told him I hadn't been there in several hundred years."

"Well, would you mind speaking Common around me?" Anya complained. "I don't speak Gold Dragon yet."

"Sorry, It was just something between us dragons. I take it the king is trying to weasel out of his bargain by killing me?"

Valgaav looked slightly puzzled. "Bargain?"

As sudden inspiration hit her, Anya struck her hand with her fist. "Of course! I was blind not to see it! The only way this makes any sense at all! You're his creditor!"

"Creditor?" Valgaav, uncharacteristically for him, looked really confused. "You mean you lent the king money?"

"His grandfather, actually," Vermithrax amended. "I had built up this huge hoard in my earlier days by attacking bandits and taking their money. Finally I got tired of it and decided there was more profit in merchant banking. The king's grandfather wanted to build this fancy palace of theirs, so I lent him a small portion of my hoard to cover the expenses. It was on a two-hundred-year term. The kings would leave annual payments at the bottom of the mountain, and I'd pick them up. Eventually I would have made back my money with a tidy profit from the interest."

"Until the payments stopped coming," Anya snorted. "That's really stupid. And now the king thinks that, if we kill you, he won't have to pay you back. I have no intention of playing along with him, Vermithrax."

Valgaav nodded. "It's obvious the king is at fault in this case. A bargain is bargain. But what can we do? The only incentive we were offered is that if we didn't come back with your head, we shouldn't come back at all. He expected you to kill us."

Vermithrax grinned. "My head, eh? I think we should give him what he wants."

A few hours later, the king was sitting down to a huge meal, when the sergeant of the guard rushed into the banquet hall in panic. "Sire!" he shouted quickly. "Anya Inverse is back!"

"Wonderful! She brought back the dragon's' head?"

"That's the problem, Sire! She brought back the head, and the _rest_ of the dragon is _still attached to it_!"

"WHAT?" The king rushed to the window and saw two huge dragons, one white and one golden, hovering over his palace. Everyone in the vicinity was frozen in panic. "No! What does she think she's doing?"

Anya shouted from Valgaav's back. "I've discovered your little scheme, Your Majesty!" she roared, her voice amplified by magic. "Your grandfather built this palace with money borrowed from a dragon hoard, and now you've stopped paying it back. That's not right at all!"

The king turned to the sergeant. "What are you waiting for? Kill them!"

"Is she right?" the sergeant asked.

"I'm the King! I can do whatever I want! Just because my grandfather did something stupid doesn't mean I have to keep doing it!"

"I was afraid you'd say that, Sire. Have you ever heard the term 'military coup'?"

The king stared at him. "What?" But before he could say anything else, he was surrounded by soldiers. "This is treason!" he finally managed to sputter.

"It's either that or watch those dragons wreck the kingdom. I'm afraid you're the ex-king now." The sergeant then leaned out the window. "Oi, Anya Inverse! We're locking up the former king right now! Please leave us in peace!"

Anya, still riding Valgaav's back, shouted with her magically amplified voice "There's a man coming with whom you'll have a lot to discuss. Goodbye!"

Valgaav turned and flew out of the kingdom at top speed.

That night Anya and Valgaav, who was now back in human form, checked into an inn in the next kingdom. They were about eighty miles and a three day's walk closer to the Mace and Teapot.

"I wonder what's going to happen in that kingdom now?" Anya asked. "Not that it's my business."

"The new regime is probably going to have to make a lot of back payments,"# Valgaav replied. "Vermithrax told me he would try to work out a deal with the new government to give them longer to pay.#"

"When did he tell you that?"

"That's just between us dragons."


End file.
